Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary is seeking members to serve on its 2012 advisory committee.

The committee promotes the amphitheater as a cultural and entertainment facility, provides feedback on the types of events the amphitheater may develop, recommends policies on amphitheater programs and promotes partnerships and rentals between the amphitheater and Cary's business community, neighborhood associations, nonprofit groups and cultural community.

The committee meets at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of each month, April through October, at Koka Booth Amphitheatre and serves as guest services personnel and courtesy shuttle drivers at select events during the summer.

The deadline to apply as an advisory committee member is by 5 p.m. on Feb. 3. For details, call 919-462-2025 or visit www.boothamphitheatre.com .

Environment report mixed

From staff reports

The condition of North Carolina's environment got uneven grades Friday in a new state report. It says the air is safer to breathe than it was 20 years ago and that less raw sewage is being dumped into waterways. The report also says that population growth is causing other pollution problems and putting a strain on drinking water supplies.

The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources produced the "State of the Environment" to show legislators, public agencies and the public how well the state is protecting its water, air and land.

DENR is supposed to issue the report every two years, though this is the first one since 2008.

The report talks about the rise and fall of different indicators of water quality over time, saying that the majority of the state's lakes, streams and rivers are in good shape.

However, the report says, the quality of about 40 percent of the state's waters is impaired, with mercury from coal-fired power plants, bacteria and sediment being the worst problems.

The report says air quality has improved across the state since the 1980s, as indicated by ozone and particulate measurements.